West Coast senators try to preempt Pebble Mine in Alaska

Senators from Washington, Oregon and California, in a letter to President Obama, are seeking to preempt a huge proposed mining project in Alaska that would be located between two prime salmon spawning streams of North America’s premier commercial and sport salmon fishery.

“The Pebble Mine would be one of the largest hard rock mines in the world and the largest copper porphyry mine in the United States: Water contamination and habitat loss from construction and operation of a hard rock mine in Bristol Bay would put thousands of fishery-related family wage jobs at risk,” said the senator’ letter.

Aerial view of site for giant proposed Pebble Mine near Bristol Bay in Alaska. Frying Pan Lake, pictured here, would disappear beneath a giant pile of tailings. Bristol Bay is one of the world’s geatest fisheries.

“Our states have a strong maritime history of which our commercial fishing industries are a key part. In order to maintain these direct fishing and processing jobs and the jobs supported by associated businesses like gear manufacturers, shipbuilders, suppliers and other maritime businesses, we must maintain healthy, sustainable fishery resources,” they added.

The letter is signed by Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.; and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.

It comes on the eve of a lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., by John Shively, CEO of the Pebble Partnership. The proposed mine is a joint venture of two industry giants, Anglo-American and Canadian-based Northern Dynasty.

No formal proposal of the mine has been submitted. Alaska’s Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an ally of her state’s resource industries, has warned: “Attempts to prejudge any mining project before the full details of that proposal are submitted to the EPA for review is unacceptable.”

The Environmental Protection Agency has, however, already released an assessment of potential mining impacts on Bristol Bay’s great salmon fishery. The mine would be located between the headwaters of the Nushagak and Kulchak Rivers, spawning grounds for half of the Bristol Bay salmon fishery.

Depending on which of three possible mine plans is submitted, according to the EPA’s assessment, 24, 56 or 90 miles of streams could be lost to mining pits, tailings storage, waste rock piles, or the pollution and/or de-watering of spawning streams.

The West Coast senators stressed that Bristol Bay is important not just to Alaska’s fishing industry. It cited a recent report by the University of Alaska Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER). They wrote:

“ISER found that Bristol Bay’s economic impact is critical to the regional economy of the Pacific Northwest and on our home states of Washington, Oregon and California. Specifically, the ISER Report demonstrates that the value of commercial fishing activities in the region account for $1.5 billion in output value, including $500 million in direct income.

“Additionally, Washington, Oregon and California benefit from $674 million in economic activity from Bristol Bay salmon fishing and processing. This economic activity fuels approximately 12,000 seasonal jobs and another 10,000 salmon related industry jobs across the United States.’

The letter noted a recent crash in California’s salmon industry.

“In 2008 and 2009, California’s salmon fishing industry lost thousands of jobs, and millions of dollars, due to a catastrophic drop in salmon populations,” the senators wrote. “Today, the state’s fishing industry remains closely tied to the health of Bristol Bay, because Californians hold over 140 Bristol Bay fishing permits . . . and these permits enable over 550 jobs related to salmon fishing.”

The senators asked Obama to direct that the White House Council on Environmental Quality and U.S. Department of Commerce begin “working with the EPA to protect our maritime economies.”